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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. face — to confront
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mate — a partner
  7. face — part of the head
  8. last — finally
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rush — hurry
  12. face — to point toward
  13. board — to get on
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. cue — a hint
  16. last — to go on
  17. bound — obliged
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bound — certain
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. last — final
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com